The present invention relates to a form combining and recording device in which data to be printed (variable information) stored on a magnetic tape or the like is read out and electronically combined with form data (fixed information), which has also been stored, with the data thus combined recorded upon a recording material.
A computer output microfilmer (hereinafter referred to merely as "a COM") in which data to be printed (print data) stored in a memory device such as a magnetic tape is read out and combined with form data and the data thus combined is recorded on a recording material such as a photographic film. In a conventional COM, form data recorded on a photographic film called a "form slide" is projected onto a recording material by an optical system so as to be recorded thereon. The print data is correctly positioned with respect to the form data projected onto the recording material and the two are projected by the optical system onto the recording material so as to be recorded. If in this connection a variety of forms are necessary (or in "a multi-form job"), it is necessary to provide a form slide replacing device for replacing the form slide. As it is required that this device be able to position the print data and form data with a high accuracy and that it be compact, the COM is usually intricate in construction and high in manufacturing cost.
In general, the replacement of the form slide takes from several seconds to several tens of seconds thereby decreasing the processing speed of the COM. Furthermore a COM is known in the art in which a laser beam is scanned to record in a heat mode print data on a recording material low in sensitivity. However, with this COM, it is impossible to record form data on the recording material because of its low sensitivity even if the form slide is projected onto the recording material.
In order to eliminate the above-described difficulties, form combining and recording devices according to the several different systems in which form data is electronically provided similar to the case of print data were developed. In the first such system, a frame memory is provided which treats the entire form as one dot pattern and stores as a dot pattern the form data for one picture. A format is generated in synchronization with the print data, the format being combined with the dot information of the print data by means of an OR circuit. In this case, it is necessary to form an input dot pattern form representative of the entire form. Production of such an input is quite complex. Furthermore, the capacity of the frame memory in the recording device is quite large and the capacity of the recording medium which stores form data in dot pattern form for the multiform job is also very large.
A second such system includes a frame memory which can be used for both the print data and the form data and a character generating circuit. The print data and the form data are arranged by the main memory in a computer and the data thus arranged is transferred to the frame memory so as to be recorded. In this case, the amount of hardware is reduced. However, it is necessary to arrange print data and form data whenever the recording of each picture so that the processing time is very long with this system. Especially in the case where the processing is carried out with a computer as an intelligent recording device incorporated in the recording device, the total recording speed of the recording device is decreased and therefore the performance of the device is lowered. In addition, as the print data and the form data are characters generated by the same character generating circuit, the form data and the print data which are recorded cannot be distinguished from each other merely by referring to the type of characters employed.
In a third system, a frame memory and a character generating circuit are provided for each of the print data and the form data. These elements are operated in synchronization with one another. The dot information of print data and the dot information of form data which are produced by the respective character generating circuits are combined in an OR circuit. The system is advantageous in that the form data can be easily produced and it is unnecessary for the ordinary recording processing to take into account the combination of forms after the form data has been written into a form data frame memory. That is, if after the form data have been written into the form data frame memory print data loaded from the magnetic tape is simply written into a print data frame memory to carry out the recording, then combining and recording the form data and the print data can be effected by the hardware.
In the third system, the capacities of the form data frame memory and of the recording medium are smaller than those in the first system. However, the amount of hardware needed is large because it is necessary to provide two frame memories, namely a print data frame memory and a form data frame memory.
An object of the invention is thus to provide a form combining and recording device in which all of the above-described difficulties accompanying a conventional form combining and recording device have been eliminated. More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a form combining and recording device in which the amount of hardware is reduced, form data can be readily produced, the ordinary recording processing time is maintained short, and recorded form data and print data can be distinguished from each other merely by referring to the types of characters used.